Episode 1 The Millionaires' Holiday Club

Imagine going to some of the most luxurious holiday destinations

in the world.

For some people, money is no object.

Welcome to the Millionaires' Holiday Club.

-Hello!

-Hello.

-Hello.

Jane goes on 12 dream holidays every year

and loves the champagne lifestyle.

I'm going to have to blow my nose in a minute.

While Mervyn works all year to afford his perfect paradise,

and wants everyone else to just bugger off.

I'm a miserable bugger when I'm at home,

but I'm even worse when I'm on holiday.

This guy come over and started talking to her

and it was Richard Gere, just chatting to her on the beach.

Trying to provide people like Mervyn with the perfect holiday...

I am working on a nice one at the moment, which is about £70,000.

..is the business of one specialist tour operator.

We're creating perfection.

Thank you very much.

The answer is yes - now tell us what you want.

That one has set them back £115,000.

Mm.

Happy days.

And if you work here...

Have you ever been to Thailand before?

..you, too, can get to join the club.

Now, this is luxury.

I know it's changed my life.

That first trip I went on, I was like,

"Am I really experiencing this?

"This is unbelievable."

Somewhere in the Caribbean,

95 holiday-makers are spending a small fortune

to take a tour of the islands

aboard the luxury cruise ship SeaDream.

-Morning.

-Oh, good morning.

-Hello.

-Hello, how are you?

-Oh, very good.

-Oh.

Look at you, Miss Glamorous.

Oh, yeah, one makes the effort in the morning, you know.

I have been up since five o' clock.

You haven't?

The gym.

Jane built an innovative dental supply company.

12 years ago, she sold her business,

and she and her partner, Michael, have been on holiday ever since.

-Good morning.

-Morning, Jane. How are you?

-I'm fine. How are you?

-How did you sleep?

Last year, they took 12 sumptuous trips.

Where did you go away last year?

You seriously want me to remember?

OK, breakfast.

I can tell you what we're doing this year.

We're going to the Caribbean, to Dubai and the Seychelles.

We're going to Rome and then up to Venice, Croatia,

then we'll go to Australia.

It's going to sound bad, isn't it? It is.

I can hear it.

We've got an exceptional year this year.

Then we're going to the South of France to a friend's wedding,

then back to the Caribbean.

So...busy.

Busy year, this year.

Oh, my goodness. Look at this view.

We've actually got a list in the room

of who all these yachts belong to.

Give us some names. Who's the big players here?

Well, that's Abramovich, isn't it? That's the Eclipse.

That's Armani's yacht, I think, the grey one over there,

the stealth-like one.

There's a lot of money on this water.

There is a couple of billion.

Yeah, couple of billion.

Oh...

Looking after every detail

of Jane and Michael's exclusive holidays

is a specialist tour operator, based...

in Chester.

PHONE RINGS

Good morning, ITC Luxury Travel, Jean speaking.

Can I help you?

The telesales team sell tailor-made holidays

to the world's most incredible locations.

I mean, all three properties are lovely.

I mean, Cobblers in Barbados is a beautiful property.

I wouldn't, sort of, discount that one,

but I honestly believe, for all the facilities

that are involved in Mauritius, they would really tick all of the boxes,

because you would get the privacy and also the service and the butler.

The average Briton spends just over £800 on an annual holiday.

So you've got your two diamond sea-view rooms

on a half-board basis, and that's £15,100 in total.

These holidays can cost tens of thousands of pounds.

I am working on a nice one at the moment, which is about £70,000,

but they are looking at a month away.

It's £15,000, so that's nine nights in Abu Dhabi,

but it's a family of five, so, getting quite a bargain there.

SHE LAUGHS

Would I pay for it?

Hmm. I don't earn that much.

What's the most expensive holiday you've sold?

A Maldives booking, which was about £115,000.

But, yeah, they wanted top suites and first-class flights

and the whole shebang.

It's an insane amount of money, but it's what it's there for.

Spend it. I would.

Jen joined the company in 2004 and took over six years ago.

They now sell £90 million worth of high-end holidays every year.

We have a complete mix of clients, from established landed gentry,

to celebrities,

to self-made millionaires.

Six nights was 13,8.

You're buying into an exclusive club.

You're buying into something that not everybody can have access to.

-My Goran!

-How are you?

Mwah! Mwah!

-How are you?

-Very good.

-Good.

Can you tell me what the difference

between the cruise you go on is and normal cruises?

No, because I've never been on one of those big cruises,

and I have no intention of going on, either.

I don't queue.

Thank you, sweetheart.

My pleasure.

Many Caribbean cruises have up to 3,500 passengers.

On Jane's cruise ship, there are less than 100.

I hate the word "cruise ship".

This is a yacht, and our motto is, "It's yachting, not cruising",

because we are functioning very much like a private yacht.

So, this is your yacht.

You have invited 100 other friends with you, and that's what it is.

Thank you, sweetheart.

What's on the menu?

Raspberries, ginger tea and some yoghurt.

We have 94 crew members, so we have a ratio of one to one, almost,

because this product is all about service.

You will see, from time to time, these gentlemen are passing around

each guest and offering them to clean the sunglasses,

because when you are on vacation you don't want to do anything.

You just want to sit back and relax, and that's the key thing.

You anticipate the guests' needs.

When you do that, you succeed in any service.

Jane and Michael's frequent holidays

have earned them a place in a special club.

Oh, hi, it's Natalie calling from ITC Chairman's Club.

How are you today?

The Chairman's Club is our top-client travel club.

The luxury junior suite - is that available also?

They are our highest-spending clients.

I think we've got some that have kind of spent

over £1,000,000 with us on holidays.

As an account manager of the Chairman's Club,

Natalie's responsible for fulfilling the holiday requirements

of 80 select clients.

Are you always this busy, Natalie?

Always busy, yeah. Always making people's dreams come true.

SHE LAUGHS

Jane's my number one, without a doubt.

She's the number one client.

I won't. I promise I won't...

We do actually speak every day on the phone.

-Do you?

-We do.

Jane's actually more like a friend, I would say, than a client.

For the Caribbean cruise, Natalie has booked Jane

into the owner's suite - the best accommodation on board.

So Jane's room would look like this.

You get, sort of, the lounge/dining room area,

so you can dine in your suite, as well, if you want.

And how many of those suites are there on the boat?

Just the one.

What would a week on the cruise cost?

-£15,000 to £16,000 per person.

-Per week?

For a week, yeah.

Before flights.

Jane and Michael flew first class,

and have actually booked to stay on the boat for three weeks.

In the last 15 years, the couple have been on SeaDream 54 times.

Oh, thank you.

You've obviously done the cruises a number of times.

Right, well, let's get this absolutely clear.

Cruises are anathema to me.

When Jane first insisted on going on a cruise, I thought,

"Please, God, no".

I saw the film Carry On Cruising

and I thought, "Right, that's probably just exactly

"what it's going to be like".

'This particular boat we go on has a maximum of 100 people.

'Very well-travelled people, sophisticated people,'

quiet people, bit like myself, so no big deal there.

But basically it's a home - it just floats.

-How are you?

-I'm fine, sweetheart.

Had a good breakfast?

I've had a very good breakfast, unfortunately.

-INTERVIEWER:

-What's it like being on holiday all the time?

Do you know...

I'm hating the word "holiday"?

Thank you so much for the canapes the other night.

'I'm not going to a ruddy camp.'

It's a little bit more sophisticated than going on holiday.

I prefer to use "travelling",

but please, you know, I'm just being pedantic.

Being a pain.

Go on.

Most people can't understand why we're in Chester.

Most people go, "Well, where's Chester?"

You know, they do expect us to be in Sloane Square, or, you know,

one of the Stepford Wives, kind of, all kind of cloned, et cetera.

GIRL COUGHS

Cardie.

We're going to my nan's first,

cos she'll do the school run for me this morning.

Single mum Kelsey joined the company last year,

but has worked in sales since leaving school.

I've been in travel for seven years, because I worked for, like,

Thomas Cook and Co-op Travel.

But then this is luxury travel and it's a tour operator,

so it's completely different.

The sales team salaries start at £18,000 a year,

plus commission, if they hit their targets.

Do you have to be posh to work here?

-SHE LAUGHS

-I am not posh at all.

I have a phone voice, you know.

You've always got to be professional.

"Good afternoon. ITC Luxury Travel, Kelsey speaking. How can I help?"

To enable her staff to successfully sell holidays

they have never experienced themselves,

Jen has begun to send them on research trips.

The next trip is to the Seychelles,

and includes the private island

where William and Kate spent their honeymoon.

The Seychelles is one of the world's most exclusive places to go.

They are the most beautiful collection of private islands.

Some of them are so private that you need permission

to even fly over them.

People are going to the Seychelles for that extra level of luxury.

It's exclusive, it's hidden, it's hard to get to,

it's some of the best places that money can buy.

The tour of the Seychelles will begin on North Island,

where a team of 150 look after a maximum of 22 guests in 11 villas.

A villa can cost up to £60,000 a week.

Each villa's got a little private garden

with a little private pathway that leads onto the beach.

The guests that we have staying with us

demand the very, very finest,

and one of the things that we're well known for

-is the attention to detail.

-It's all about the detail.

You know, there's a lot of thought that's gone into

the design of these villas.

If it's not done just right, it completely falls apart.

I mean a very good example are these teardrop vases,

and if the water level is not exactly right to the top,

you're not going to get that effect, that magnification effect, you know?

If you don't have that, it just looks like an empty vase.

All the information of all of the guests we keep in a little...

what we call a day sheet, which is essentially a cheat sheet

that tells us really everything that we need to know about them.

For us, delivering a truly luxurious experience

is delivering what the guest wants.

How far will you go to make sure they get the perfect experience?

As far as it takes.

A guest that visits us every year

happens to be very into basketball, and prior to his arrival every year,

we build a basketball court for him, to NBA specifications.

What type of people come here? Who are the guests?

THEY LAUGH

This guy!

No, we don't... That's something that we don't talk about at all.

It's the reason why we're chosen as a private getaway,

is our guests know that we'll never share any information about them.

The secret guests on North Island

will soon be joined by three of the sales team from Chester.

I was absolutely gobsmacked when they told me.

It's just an experience that I never thought I'd be able to have.

It's one of the perks, the privileges of the job.

So, it's nice to go out and see what it is that we are actually selling.

Jen manages to get reduced rates,

but still spends well over £100,000 a year on these research trips.

The main focus of this trip is the private islands.

We're doing really good in the resorts,

but private islands are obviously that much more expensive

and actually where we can benefit to those internet-based operators.

You can read what the brochure says, you can go on the websites,

but there is nothing that replaces first-hand experience,

-first-hand knowledge.

-On the beach, take your shoes off,

because the beach is proper talcum powder, white sand.

It's my recommendation to anyone that goes cos it's stunning.

Made a note. "Take your shoes off."

It's amazing.

Not only is it then that they really get to experience the property

and see what's right for one client above for another client,

but they also develop the relationships

with the people at the hotel that can give the waivers, the favours,

and support them when the clients are actually in resort.

Thank you very much.

What roles do you think each of you might take on this trip?

Mum.

Thanks. Mum, yeah.

Second mum.

I'll play the child, because they're both mums.

We'll look after Holly.

Not everyone is after brand-new experiences.

This 125-acre fruit farm in Somerset is run by Mervyn and Heather.

They're in their 70s, but still work 51 weeks of the year,

and go on one week's dream holiday.

This is my husband, Mervyn.

The present.

I have been married to him for 48 years.

Are you still romantic?

Yeah, we are, cos you get treats when you're romantic.

-Oh, my goodness.

-You get flowers, don't you?

Oh, it's me. I thought you meant you.

Get your mind out of the gutter.

Why this choice in dress sense, Mervyn?

I went to school in shorts, and I've stayed in shorts ever since.

What does Heather think of your choice of dress?

-She's got used to it by now.

-She doesn't like it.

Has he got shorts for every occasion?

Yes.

These are the holiday ones. Smart pair like that.

A pink pair.

And this is your bedroom?

Yes. She gets invited in now and again.

He's got a good sense of humour, this one, Heather.

-I know.

-Is that what attracted you to him?

I think so, to start with.

It's worn a bit thin now.

After making money manufacturing in Bermuda,

Mervyn returned to the UK 38 years ago

to run a successful farming business.

That orchard there is cherries,

and over that side of the farm is the cider.

What kind of boss would you say you are?

I'm probably a bastard, but...

if they're not pulling their weight, they have to go.

I've been chased with a machete.

Luckily, he was thick enough

to know that I was standing in front of a glass window

and I could see him coming up behind me, so I turned round and said,

"If you can't do it to my face, then don't do it behind my back."

12 years ago, Mervyn found a holiday destination

that suited him perfectly,

and he's been going back there ever since.

Welcome to Jamaica Inn.

Because we were built in 1950,

we got first pick along the whole coastline,

so for just 52 suites on property,

even if we're fully booked, it's never crowded on our beach.

What reaction do people have

when they see the place for the first time?

The most common word I hear is "wow".

What kind of holidays do you like?

-HEATHER:

-Lazy ones.

-Yes.

We work 24 hours a day back here,

so that is the one time when we don't do anything.

We don't like the television,

we don't like the radio

and we don't necessarily need newspapers cos it's a holiday.

This is our main building.

The design of the hotel is pretty colonial.

In here, we have our library, where there's lots of history.

That's Marilyn Monroe on her honeymoon with Arthur Miller.

Do you get lots of film stars staying here?

Yes, we do. Let me grab my list.

I have a list of approved persons.

I can just refresh my memory. Ah, celebrity guests.

We have Princess Margaret, Winston Churchill, Mr TS Eliot,

Noel Coward, Errol Flynn, Kate Moss.

And I'm sure there's an even longer list that we can't see.

-LAUGHING:

-Oh, yes. Much longer list.

Accommodation at the Jamaica Inn costs up to £1,200 per night.

Mervyn and Heather are going for nine nights.

Do you ever think,

"Oh, we could just go to, like, Tenerife and sit on the beach"?

What, with the hoi polloi? Nope.

It's like having a Ford Mondeo or a Bentley.

If you can afford a Bentley, you're going to have a Bentley.

We don't want to be the richest people in the graveyard.

Hardly think that would happen.

No.

Jane and Michael's cruise is approaching St Barths,

one of the most exclusive islands in the Caribbean.

Passengers have the day to explore.

If you've been on that number of cruises...

Mm.

..what's the difference between that

and someone who's gone for the first time? What do you do?

Don't get off.

Because everybody else gets off

and we have this beautiful yacht to ourselves.

St Barths is an exception.

St Barths is the sort of St Tropez of the Caribbean, if you like.

The celebrities, they go to St Barths.

You know, all the millionaires bring their yachts to St Barths.

-Look at these ones.

-Yeah.

-Beautiful. Absolutely beautiful.

-Are there famous people here now, do you know?

-No.

-There was last week.

-Apart from us.

-Ellen DeGeneres was here and...

Kim Kardashian.

And Prince was here.

Robin Thicke, who I've never heard of.

-Yes, you do.

-Oh, I have.

-# Da-da-da. #

-Of course.

-That record that you can't bear.

# Da-da-da. #

-Oh, I get it.

-SHE LAUGHS

And this is where I saw Alan Whicker, on this very spot,

which was a hero of mine.

That beats Robin Thicke?

Oh, God, yeah.

-JEN:

-It's kind of got that cachet of real success.

Obviously, hugely glamorous, great shopping.

One of the most, kind of, exclusive islands within the Caribbean.

Every time I come to St Barths, there's this,

"Oh, where am I going to go?"

Here.

Oh! Christine!

Ooh, it's you!

Jane has been shopping at Mascara for the last ten years.

Oh, Christine, I love it!

A one-off haute-couture dress can cost £800.

-I can fly in it.

-Yeah.

How many of Christine's dresses would you say you have?

Oh...

Minimum, 50 pieces.

Yes, it's a lot.

She is full pedal. She really goes for it.

-What do you mean?

-Well, she's got the confidence.

And she's always elegant. Mind you, that dress is far too short for her.

-No, no, no, no. No, Christine, just completely... Like this.

-Ah, OK.

-Is looking good important to you?

-Yes.

Because I enjoy it. And, you know, I think I've spent so many years

being very, very serious and having to concentrate on business,

and I'm going to just enjoy the frivolity of it.

-Let's have a look.

-I thought everyone would be really glamorous.

No. There is a dress code,

but it's certainly not tuxedo for men.

-I like it.

-I love it.

Yeah, I prefer it. Yeah.

They call it yacht casual.

Would this be yacht casual?

Hah! Well, I must admit, one day, a woman did say to me,

she came up to me, she said, "So, is this what they call yacht casual?"

-And I went, "In Jane's world, yes."

-SHE LAUGHS

-Are you going for it, Jane?

-I'm going for it. Why not?

I would also like to just point out that the dress I'm wearing

did come from Zara for £17.99.

Mwah! Mwah!

Thank you. Bye-bye.

Bye-bye.

Mervyn may be a creature of habit,

continually returning to the same colonial Jamaican retreat,

but this year, he wants a change.

He's invited along a guest.

This is our daughter, Samantha.

She's quite feisty.

She's coming with us to Jamaica, which will...be fun, I hope.

Her father offered to pay for it,

so I think that was quite a deciding, um...factor.

How much does your holiday cost you?

That's for me to know and you to find out.

After 14 years of working in hospitals overseas,

Samantha has recently returned to live with her parents.

When you see what he does and how he works,

you can't really sit on a sofa on a Saturday morning

in your pyjamas and drink coffee and think, "What shall I do today?"

So, nurse/farming assistant.

What's their relationship like?

It's very good, except that she will answer him back

if he says anything she doesn't like,

whereas I've just learnt to sort of ignore it

and go along with everything.

What's your dad like as a boss, then?

Usually very fair.

But if he gets cross or upset, run for your life.

Don't you believe what she says. She's making me out to be an ogre.

I'm...I'm a lovely fella, really.

Cheeky one, isn't he?

He's very cheeky. But everybody loves him.

Hello, how are you?

Oh! Get me to that bar.

# Get me to the... #

Does Jane know how to get the party started?

She IS the party.

LAUGHTER

You didn't see her dancing on a table yet?

Your motto is, "More is more". Is that what it is?

My motto? More is more.

Jane and Michael have been together for nearly 30 years.

When they met, she was building her business

and he ran an architectural design practice.

The holidays that I went on when I was working were disasters.

Utter disasters.

I would work my cotton socks off

to get away to go on holiday

and then having got away, I would absolutely collapse.

I was a wreck. And all I needed to do was sleep.

-What's on the plan?

-Drinks.

We're going to go for drinks in the bar.

The biggest luxury of all of having retired, is time.

-You are just the person I need to see.

-Welcome!

Full stop.

That's the biggest luxury.

Oh, you're wet.

Let's go to my favourite seat.

What do you love about champagne?

Oh. When Michael and I first met,

we really, seriously didn't have any money at all.

And it was my birthday and he bought me half a bottle of Bollinger.

We opened the bottle and both of us just went, "Aaaaah!"

It was like nectar.

It was just like a light went on in our lives.

And I have loved champagne from that moment on.

-POP!

-Yay!

It's joyous. I mean, just to hear that, "Pop!"

It's just, like, instantly, I feel wonderful.

I mean, it's just like... Love it! Love it, love it, love it!

Cheers, darling.

The first few years when we retired, we travelled,

but it was the same manic travelling as we were working.

It took us five or six years to get to the point

where we can actually just come on board and relax.

And, you know, why wouldn't you be with these great guys?

They're our friends. They're family.

-Well...

-I-I... This one...

We're the rich uncles and aunts.

We...we... Mwah! We...we love one another.

Did you ever think of having a family yourself?

Michael, did we ever think about having a family? No. No. It was...

-We had employees. I mean, they were bad enough.

-No, I never...

You never wanted to be a mum?

Look at me, look at me.

No. From an early age. Nuh-huh.

-You never wanted to be a mum?

-No, never.

I never, ever wanted to be a mother, no.

And now I'm going to come across as the...(bitch from hell), you know.

-Why do you say that?

-Well, because it doesn't sound...

You know, most...most women do have that need, or...

Not need. That sounds... I don't...

Well, it's called a maternal instinct.

-It's not a need, it's an instinct.

-Instinct.

And I just didn't have that instinct.

Seriously, I definitely didn't.

This evening in Chester, there's a party taking place in the office.

MUSIC: The Birdie Song by The Tweets

Tomorrow morning, Natalie, Kelsey and Holly

are heading off on a week's research trip to the Seychelles.

I can't think why you'd want to leave this lovely weather(!)

I know. I woke up this morning and I could hear the rain outside,

and I was thinking,

"Ah, what a shame, I'm off to the Seychelles tonight."

I've just been and met my mum and dad for a coffee, and they said,

"Oh, you're so lucky, going off to the sun on a day like this."

I said, "Well, you know, it's part of the job." Ha-ha!

-You'll cope.

-I'll have to.

Someone's got to do it!

Your friends must just hate you.

Yeah, they do. I've been to Morocco,

Miami and Turks and Caicos, as well, already this year with work,

so this is my third trip.

Mm! Ah, Mummy will miss you.

SHE CHUCKLES

Yeah? I'll leave you with Daddy!

Oh, good girl. Bye-bye, sweetie. Bye-bye.

I'll text you. Bye.

Oh! Worst mum in the world.

I'll try not to think about her too much

because I think if you dwell about home a lot on these sorts of trips,

you could become quite homesick.

So it's quite a busy itinerary,

which helps to not miss home too much.

-Hi!

-I can't believe you've braved flip-flops!

-I know. Are you all right?

-Yeah. Are you?

-THEY GIGGLE

-Yeah. Let me fill you in on Kelsey.

-Oh, God. Last night?

-So, texted this morning, I went,

"Morning. How are you feeling?"

She said, "I don't know how I'm going to get through the day.

"I can't remember getting home."

-Oh, no! And now she's got a 12-hours' flight to do.

-Yeah.

-Hi!

-Hi!

-THEY GIGGLE

-How are you feeling?

Horrendous! What a night!

-You don't look horrendous.

-No.

-Power of make-up, girls.

-THEY LAUGH

I sent the biggest apology this morning to Alexis.

-Oh, at least you weren't actually ill, though.

-And she went...

-Yeah, I was throwing up.

-Oh, in the car?

Well, at the side, but I don't know what was...

-Classy bird(!)

-I said, "I don't know if I've, um...

"If I've made any mess or something, just let me know

"and I'll pay for it to be cleaned."

She was like, "Don't be silly. We all get in that state."

-THEY CHUCKLE

-I was like, "Oh, thanks, Alexis."

I don't even know where the handle is. Oh, it's there.

'Before starting here, I'd never travelled long haul.'

I was your bucket-and-spade type of gal

in Spain, Canaries,

on my package holidays.

And so before I came here, I didn't realise

that this type of thing existed.

So everything that I've seen has just blown my mind.

-Upgraded to Business!

-Whoo-hoo!

Door A for Business.

The amount of people on my news feed that go sick at me,

then they're like, "Who are you?"

I'm feeling very spoiled, but it's nice. I like it!

And have you got a drink?

My...my fizz, my champagne.

That girl partying at the weekend in Ibiza

and now she's in the Seychelles. What?!

SHE LAUGHS

Night!

At the Jamaica Inn, they try to keep everything as it was 50 years ago.

Preparations are underway for the arrival of the new guests.

OK. Ah, sweet!

We have Heather and Mervyn returning for nine nights

and they are bringing in their daughter with them this time.

How did you two meet?

We met in Bermuda, where we'd both gone out to work.

And I don't think we took to each other to start with.

Mervyn was engaged to somebody else.

-Ssh!

-And I was... Huh!

-A loose woman.

-Playing the field.

And then Mervyn was taken to hospital because he'd been ill

and he'd come back from hospital and we met on a beach.

-I think I wrote to your girlfriend.

-You did.

Engaged woman, fiancee, whatever they're called.

And I had to tell her that, I'm sorry, but that was off.

So it's quite shameful, really.

After a month, we were married.

Was it quite unusual to meet someone and get married that quickly?

No. You don't try the goods until you've bought it.

He tends to say what he thinks

and doesn't always think of the consequences.

He never means any harm by what he says,

but his lack of filter can get him into trouble.

-What are we making, Nichola?

-This is a swan.

And how many swans do you make a day?

Oh! It all depends.

Sometimes I make a different design and the guests come and say to me,

"Could you make a swan for me?"

And I have to pull it back up and make another one.

Would you say the guests who come here have high standards?

Yes. Yes. They're looking for the best.

Miss Marsh, give me a minute.

Um...let me just point out, um...unwanteds.

Would people really expect that you get two ants

out of their room before they arrive?

You want to always give a very good first impression.

You just never know, um... after a long trip,

the psyche of someone.

And if they saw, you know, an ant in their room,

it might give them a little bit of cause for concern.

How discerning are you both?

I would like to say we're very discerning.

Yeah, with a capital S.

SHE LAUGHS

This will be Mervyn and Heather's seventh holiday at the hotel,

but their first stay in the premier accommodation, a seafront cottage.

Oh, wow! Oh, wow!

Are you happy, Heather?

-Well, I suppose you could say happy, yes. It's lovely.

-Ecstatic.

THEY CHUCKLE

There are no real words. It's just...heaven.

All sorts of things happen in the plunge pool, so I'm led to believe,

by novels you read.

HE CHUCKLES

-Novels? He doesn't read novels.

-I was going to say, he doesn't read.

What's your verdict?

When you get back to England,

can you go down to Somerset and lock up?

Tell everybody we won't be back?

HE LAUGHS

Natalie, Kelsey and Holly's work trip has begun.

They've landed on the largest island in the Seychelles.

-Hi!

-Hi! Helicopter!

-We're just about to board the helicopter!

-Hi!

-To transfer to and from North Island,

the owners recommend chartering a helicopter for around £1,200.

Like all guests, the team have been asked to send ahead

a list of their likes and dislikes

so their personal attendant can customise their experience.

Looking forward to receive my guests.

Three guests from Britain.

So I'm used to their culture. I understand them very well.

So what do you know about British women, then?

I know they like vodka,

they like gin, they like wine.

Some, they like sushi, sashimi.

That information help me to understand them.

What type of people come here, Fred?

Everyone is allowed here.

Some, you know, they work hard to come here.

A guy, a Fred, like me,

can take me maybe 15 years to come here for two nights.

While others, take them two months to come here.

So I can say they can come,

but there's a... there's a difference still.

So this is your beautiful home. Welcome, welcome home!

We've got to a stage in the world

where they all kind of have the same things.

So you get your Bang & Olufsen surround sound

and your plasma screens

and your Egyptian cotton sheets and your sunken baths

and outdoor showers and infinity pools and blah, blah, blah.

Fred here will be taking care of you.

But all hotels of a five-star standard offer that.

What makes something really special is always the service.

Every time I come here, I'll be ringing the bell...

..for your privacy.

It's always the things that they do above and beyond,

the fact that they know you, they know what you like.

They stock the mini bar with the drinks that you particularly like.

So I saw your request, the gin.

-So you'll love this one.

-Thank you!

-I'm sure we will!

THEY LAUGH

There's butlers and concierge people whose sole job

is to make them have the best experience. And they're wonderful!

If a big spider comes in in the middle of the night and we need you,

how long will it take to get you here?

Oh, a spider will be very fast. Quick, quick, quick!

-Good, good!

-Quick, quick.

-THEY LAUGH

At the Jamaica Inn, the staff look after 48 suites

spread over eight acres.

-Over there?

-No, right there, under those trees.

The beach is only open to the paying guests.

Are these your favourite seats, then, Mervyn?

-No.

-Well, because...

-He usually goes bang in the middle.

..these are virgin skins,

when we're used to it, we'll move further in the middle.

If they get burnt, they go, "Don't touch me!"

And then my holiday is ruined.

Given the choice, what do you like to do on holiday, Mervyn?

Nothing.

Relax, unwind, and that's it.

Provided the sea goes in and out

and the sun comes in and out

and the bed's there, what more do you need?

This young lady is going to supply us with rum punches and water.

Why did you decide not to have any more children?

If you'd have seen the trouble that we went through with the first one,

there was no way I was going through it again with another one.

The doctor said, "It's touch and go

"whether you get one back or two back."

I thought, "No more after this.

"If we get through this one, that's it."

But, er...I think she's a good girl.

I mean, she's my child

and I'll always think the stars shine out of her arse.

I hope she enjoys it.

Because she has a stressful job.

And when she's got to treat people younger than her

that have got a life expectancy of that much, it gets to her.

But she... she shoulders it very well.

You all work very hard, though.

We work hard so we can enjoy ourselves.

And if we weren't... Look out.

Hi! I'm here with our signature drink,

our Planter's Punch, a rum-based drink.

They are the best.

What are your guilty pleasures in life?

Do you want to know all their names?

SHE STIFLES A LAUGH

I haven't got any guilty pleasures. Maybe a...

-We like to eat out occasionally.

-Yeah.

And we like to drink occasionally, but not to excess,

believe it or not, normally.

"Dear Holly, Natalie and Kelsey, very warm welcome to North Island.

"May you have a truly wonderful and unforgettable stay with us."

POP! ALL: Aw!

THEY CHUCKLE

-Thank you!

-Thank you!

-You're welcome.

-So, when does the work actually start, then?

-Now!

-Right now!

-We're working!

Refilling time! ALL: Whoo-hoo!

THEY LAUGH

Fred, have you not got your bikini?

THEY LAUGH

-Thank you.

-I can try one.

-FRED LAUGHS

-You can try one.

-Thank you.

-Enjoy!

-Thank you!

-Thank you very much!

I just think the staff are amazing.

They can't do enough for you, which is great to tell our clients.

You know, like, if you were a client

and your butler was just, like, stood around all day, I wouldn't...

-You'd feel bad.

-I'd feel a bit uncomfortable.

-You just want them to, like, be your friend, don't you?

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

Jane and Michael's cruise has reached the British Virgin Islands.

To end every week, the crew throw the guests their signature party

on the tiny island of Jost Van Dyke.

All right, so today is one day that we do the beach barbecue.

We have a place where you can eat,

you can drink and you can socialise.

Why wouldn't you want to do something like that?

Life is not fair, so let's start off with that.

Whether you agree with it or not,

a Philippine girl, who is eminently qualified,

she's probably got a degree, even,

and she can only get a job as a cleaner.

It is damn hard work. It's seven days a week.

They have a plan in life.

Their kids are being brought up by the grandparents

and when they're mid-30s, they'll come home,

they will then set up a business,

they will then be grandparents, and so the cycle goes on.

All right, let's take off our shoes.

Just throw them on the beach.

Whoa!

HE LAUGHS

I'm just intrigued and I'm inspired

by the way these people have lived their life.

The crew, I think, are our friends.

I mean, what they think of us is another matter.

We certainly respect and love them.

The Jamaica Inn does not have in-room butlers,

but it does pride itself on the unique service it provides.

-Oh, wow!

-Whoa! Whoa-whoa-whoa!

Quick, quick, quick, quick!

-Good morning!

-Morning!

-Morning!

-BANG!

THEY LAUGH

-Oh, wouldn't that have been awful!

-They didn't get that, right?

THEY LAUGH

What's your relationship with the staff when you're on holiday?

Customer and...and...and staff.

Don't trip over your shoelace.

-My shoelace?

-Yeah.

-I would have to do it like this.

THEY LAUGH

You don't cross the path of trying to be their buddy.

Hey, Din-Din! How you doing?

Hello! I'm good.

-Thank you.

-Voila!

Voila!

Hello! Welcome to the beach! Nice to see you!

-How are you, my dear?

-I'm fine.

-Champagne, honey.

-Thank you, sweetheart.

-Nice to see you.

Do you feel more comfortable with the staff, or with the guests?

Oh, gosh! Um...if I don't know the guests,

if I've just met them, the crew, absolutely.

They're my friends.

They're just extraordinary, lovely people.

What's the highlight of this beach party?

The champagne and caviar splash, without a doubt.

Suddenly will appear a surfboard,

and it'll be floated in the water

and we'll be all invited to go in and have, um...some caviar.

-What larks!

-What larks!

What larks, a-ho! We will have larking about.

As Jane and Michael signed up for a three-week cruise,

this is their third champagne and caviar splash of the holiday.

Kristoff!

CHEERING

LAUGHTER

ALL: Whoa!

Whoo! Ha-ha!

Caviar survived!

THEY LAUGH

On North Island, the sales team are beginning work in earnest.

-So hungry now.

-I'm ready for something to eat.

-Ready for breakfast.

-Yeah, definitely.

-Hi!

-Morning!

-Morning!

-Hi!

-Thank you!

-Look at that!

Gorgeous, isn't it?

-Wow!

-Morning.

-Good morning!

-Oh, wow!

-Enjoy!

-Thank you!

-Thank you!

I've heard that champagne goes very well with pancakes.

Can I interest anybody for a little glass?

-Yeah. Why not?

-THEY LAUGH

Part of work is to experience it as your guests would, so...

-Yeah, definitely.

-You can say no, as well.

-Do the work trips work?

-Absolutely.

You know, why a client comes to us

is because they want that first-hand knowledge.

Today, Natalie has an extra assignment for Jane and Michael.

She's booked them a holiday in the Seychelles for next month.

-Thank you so much.

-Oh, that was lovely. Thank you.

They'll be staying on the main island,

where apartments can be nearly £20,000 a week.

Natalie has flown back to the resort

to make sure everything is of an acceptable standard.

This particular villa that I've booked them into

is an ocean panoramic view,

so they should have a gorgeous view of the ocean.

That's something I'm keen to see,

to make sure it is what it says on the tin.

Have they got high expectations?

They do have high expectations,

but I'd have high expectations, you know, if I was in their position,

travelling around the world,

I had my pick of where I wanted to travel to.

You know, I think you've got to.

This is the actual villa number that Jane will be having?

This is the actual villa number.

-In fact, it's our highest ocean panoramic villa.

-Perfect.

-With a fantastic view over the ocean.

-OK.

Which I'm sure your guests will enjoy.

-You feel like you're away from everything in your villa.

-Oh, wow!

So this is what they will... they will wake up to.

-This is what they will experience.

-Perfect.

Can I take a couple of pictures of it so I can send them to her

-before she gets here?

-Yes. Please, please.

-Brilliant.

Often the complaints start with a little thing.

If they arrive and they're not met by the top dog,

then it can start degenerating from there.

-Perfect. So, the room is through here, is it?

-That's the room.

What happens is people then look at there's a plug socket

that hasn't been screwed in properly,

or, you know, "My coffee was too cold,

"My butler looked at me in the eye," whatever it might be.

-You like it?

-Yeah.

But we've had all sorts of things, you know.

In the Maldives, "I could see another island in the distance.

"It's supposed to be a desert island." OK.

Pretty nice bath.

Or, you know, "There's too many fish in the sea -

"that stopped me swimming."

Again, it's one of those things where you kind of say,

"Well, have you considered the infinity pool, the lap pool,

"the plunge pool, or the other beach on the other side of the resort?"

I mean, sometimes I look at some of these complaints and I go, "Really?"

But for them, in that moment, it is really, really important to them.

And me going, "For goodness' sake,"

that isn't going to help the situation.

All we can try and do is say, "What do I need to do to put it right?"

And there comes a point where you actually say,

"Maybe this isn't the right resort for you," and we move people.

And we have, and we will, and we do.

I know she loves a particular rose,

and I know her favourite champagne, so I'll give all of this to you.

Please, please. That would be great.

Cos I think those sorts of things, she'd be really touched by,

if a bottle of her favourite rose was in the fridge when she got here.

Yeah. That's the idea.

Favourite music so that when they arrive, it's their favourite music.

-I know that, as well.

-Yes, please.

If she arrived and opened the door and there was a bit of,

I know it sounds cheesy, a bit of Lionel Richie playing, I think...

-Then it would be a nice surprise.

-"Wow, how did they know?"

Sam has persuaded her parents to leave the hotel grounds.

Now you salute.

THEY LAUGH

-Oh, it's lovely and cool.

-Wow!

-You've left the hotel.

-Yes.

It's the first time for... five years?

We're having a tour of the local area.

Yeah. Family outing.

-That's an impressive place.

-It is, isn't it?

Mm. It's huge!

A house like that used to be, like, a plantation house.

We call them great house in Jamaica.

Is there still a lot of hardship in Jamaica?

Yes, sir. We have extremely rich and extremely poor.

Very, very little middle class.

Sometimes the poor people are much more happier than the rich people.

-Yeah.

-Yeah, they really are.

Because they don't have nothing to lose.

And they'll have a drink and make themselves happy.

Mervyn will drag me out.

Does it ever sort of make you think, "We're quite lucky"?

-No.

-No. That's the beauty of the place.

We work bloody hard here

and we earn what we earn and we don't waste a penny of it.

And if we didn't go there, who's going to employ them?

It's...it's all wheels within wheels.

On Jost Van Dyke, the champagne and caviar splash is drawing to a close.

-Is it going well?

-Not well, very well.

-If you would touch here, or there, or there...

-Can I? Can I?

-You can!

-THEY LAUGH

Of course, you're the only one who can.

So, yes, I am wet, but I think they... I hope they are blown away.

Look around, everybody's smiling. They're going to go home and say,

"You know what? Let's go back to SeaDream

"because that's where we had the best day of our life."

Every time I see that ship, I fall in love with it.

Every time, all over again.

I just absolutely love it.

Do you not ever get bored of it?

No. I wish I did.

It would be much better for the bank balance.

Never get bored of it. It's always an adventure.

All the staff and everything, you do sort of think of them as family.

I wonder what they think of you.

I hope they think of us as friends.

Um...family would be nice, as well, but that's maybe taking it...

I would love to think they felt like that.

Um...one day, somebody said to me,

"Jane, we see more of you than we do our own family."

So in a way, I think I've become the surrogate...

OK, we don't do the, er... I'd love to say sister.

We might do the mother to them.

MUSIC BLARES

Would you consider the guests to be your friends?

Look, obviously, who you are, what you're earning,

what position you are on the social ladder,

that definitely has an influence, or an impact on relationships.

Let's...let's...let's be real here.

I have a specific position in life.

I'm not going to hang out with somebody on a higher degree,

and vice versa.

At the end of the day, we are giving a service.

The customers obviously pay for a service.

We can interact on a certain degree,

but let's be real, there will always be that gap.

-Hello, Din-Din!

-Here's the queen!

-Here's the queen!

-SHE LAUGHS

-Thank you, Din-Din.

-You're welcome.

-Thank you very much.

At the Jamaica Inn, on-beach dining can be arranged on request,

but the normal dress regulations still apply.

You're not trying to drown us, are you?

What makes you laugh, Mervyn?

Watching her undress.

THEY CHUCKLE

Thank you very much.

Oh, life makes me laugh.

-His own jokes make him laugh.

-Yeah.

It's an odd concept,

but I don't know why they've had to put sugar in the cucumber soup.

Mm. Tastes like an old bush.

THEY LAUGH

Do you go around tasting old bushes?

THEY LAUGH

Two daiquiris and she's gone.

I'll have your nuts if you'd like to have the rest of my bush.

THEY LAUGH

Let me try...your old bush!

Aboard SeaDream, the award-winning chef

is presenting a seven-course taster menu for the guests.

OK, one asparagus for Jane can go.

Yes, Chef!

Oh, thank you very much.

-Oh, my gosh! Oh, look at the colour on that.

-Thank you!

Thanks. I tell you what, asparagus goes so nicely with this wine.

Yeah.

Would it be fair to say your philosophy is,

live life to the full?

Philosophy? Um...I'll hand that over to you, darling.

What's the philosophy?

Well, I think... You said to me the other day,

"In 20 years' time, we probably won't have the energy

"to do what we're doing now."

So our philosophy is, let's enjoy it now.

-Have fun.

-Until you don't.

We're planning for Armageddon, you know, sort of, decrepitude.

We have parents, we know what it's like.

Especially as we kind of...

Slightly...slightly above the level,

the recommended level for alcohol intake.

We're realistic.

This is the time for us to enjoy ourselves.

-It may not last forever.

-Yeah.

-It won't last forever.

-It won't.

-But we are going to enjoy ourselves.

-We're enjoying it now.

And we're going to enjoy ourselves with people

who we have respect for and who we like and admire.

As part of the North Island experience,

the owners have tailored a special evening for their guests.

Is this the health and safety check?

THEY LAUGH

Oh, look at that beach, though. Look at it, it looks amazing!

-Hello, ladies.

-Hi!

-Hi!

-Hi!

Please enjoy. Here's a glass of rose bubbles.

-Thanks, Damian.

-Cheers!

-Cheers, girls!

-Cheers!

This is really special.

I've never experienced champagne on a rock before.

This has...this has wowed me. The whole resort has wowed me.

I know it's changed my life. Absolutely changed my life.

-Thank you very much.

-Oh, wow!

That first trip I went on, I was like,

"Am I really experiencing this? This is unbelievable!"

And everybody that goes on those trips, it changes their life.

Are we actually just sat here, on North Island,

in the middle of the Indian Ocean?

-I know. It's crazy, isn't it?

-No, I'm watching the telly.

It feels like it! It feels like it!

I'm watching the telly with the radiator on full whack.

THEY LAUGH

-It's mad, isn't it?

-It's crazy.

MUSIC BLARES

Do you believe in growing old gracefully?

No. So there we go.

Some people would say wearing a tweed skirt

and twinset and pearls is graceful.

I can't quite see me doing that, but...one never knows.

It's always an option, I suppose.

Don't think it's going to happen.

-What?

-I thought you were puckering up your lips.

Mervyn and Heather only have two more days

before they have to return to working their farm.

Are you two growing old gracefully?

Of course we are.

Yes. I shall be wearing a skirt and blouse next.

Are you conscious of them getting older?

Old age comes to us all, so I'm grateful that they're

as young at heart and agile as they are.

I'm going to have to blow my nose in a minute.

SHE CHUCKLES

Do you worry about them?

Yes. But, then, who doesn't worry about their parents?

What's important in your lives?

-Staying healthy and happy.

-Independence.

Never have to have somebody else wipe our bottoms, feed us.

I think if we get to that stage,

we're going to save the money and go to Dignitas.

Cut your losses.

Go to heaven, or hell, or wherever you're going.

If the vet would do it in the village, I'd go down the vet's.

So how does it feel to have her worry about you?

She shouldn't worry because I've had a jolly good life,

I can't complain.

I shall die with a smile on my face.

-Who's this holiday for?

-All of us.

And we were honoured to think

that she'd want to come away with two old people.

This is our way of saying, you know, "Have a good time.

"Because when we die, it's all going to the cats' home."

Jane and Michael's 54th cruise on SeaDream is ending in Puerto Rico.

How long does it take you to say goodbye, Jane?

-Um...quite a long time.

-SHE CHUCKLES

-Hi, Michelle.

-Hello, Mr Michael!

Bye, darling. Nice to see you.

Oh! My dancing partner!

Take care. It's been a pleasure.

-OK, I don't like...

-Nor do I. We start crying.

How long do you think you're going to keep going

with the number of holidays?

For life, for God's sake! It's simple as that!

Safe flight home, darling.

You go on some of these big boats,

they're all designed for people of all sorts of inabilities.

Bye-bye, George.

You'll find ramps, lifts,

grab-rails, nurses,

incontinence bags.

Bye-bye!

There's no excuse for you. You go out there and enjoy yourself.

Bye-bye.

You can do it. I will be doing it.

'Every day, I just think how privileged I am.'

I have just such an amazing, amazing life.

And I'm jealous of myself.

It's just, like, how did THIS happen? God!

I mean, it's just... Life's wonderful!

Bye!

And it would be a crime not to enjoy it.

Wouldn't it, really?

It's time for the Seychelles three to pass on their findings

to the rest of the sales team.

Right, I'm just going to do some Seychelles training.

People can get caught up in the world of luxury travel

and start thinking that we are the clients.

And, actually, we are here to serve the clients.

I guess, taking your butler example,

in the whole Downton Abbey scenario,

we are the butlers, if you like.

So we flew into Mahe and then from there,

it's about a ten-minute transfer to the helicopter departure point,

which is the best way to do it cos it gets you there the quickest.

And it's only about 1,500 euros.

So if a client's paying for North Island,

they should be able to factor that in quite well.

I think you can absolutely get lost in these holidays.

And you almost think that this is life.

If you've got any larger clients, they may need seatbelt extensions.

That's the only issue that they would have.

'I do quite like to go for walks to the park and go and do'

my own food shopping on a weekend.

It's nice to be normal sometimes.

Because we said on our preference form that we like gin and vodka,

-there was, like, full bottles.

-THEY LAUGH

-We specifically said Grey Goose, as well.

-Yeah, Grey Goose.

And there was a bottle of Grey Goose waiting for us.

A whole bottle. And that's included for any guest, so...

At the moment, I'm loving my job.

But obviously if I, you know, had a family,

then obviously that would become more important.

Once you settle down,

you won't be able to go to these incredible places.

Oh, I will. I'll make sure of it. I'm going to marry a rich man!

SHE LAUGHS

Best robes ever. They go to the floor.

It was just all the little things. I was, like...

'Before, when I started, you know,

'I was just happy doing my two weeks in Tenerife.'

But now there is a whole bigger world out there

and I do get a bit picky now when I choose my holidays.

SHE LAUGHS

No butler? No way!

SHE LAUGHS

-Egret there.

-Peter and Christine go to India

and walk in Charles and Camilla's footsteps.

Just think, Prince Charles has stepped over here.

In Barbados, the paparazzi are lined up

in one of the world's premier celebrity hotspots.

Little do they know it's Martyn and Richard from Balham.

HE LAUGHS

Oh, my God!

And concierge Katie experiences Thailand,

as the newest member of the Millionaires' Holiday Club.

We've changed, Katie. That's it now. There's no going back.